My wife recently came into possession of a $200 gift card for Nordstrom’s. At first I was happy as a pig farmer with new hip waders, thinking of all the clothes we could get with that wad of dough. Then we actually went to Nordstrom’s.

Good Goobly Goop! A tie for $135? A sweater for $200? For that much I want my clothes to be self-cleaning and to adjust themselves as I get older and fatter. Does anybody ever really shop there? I can’t imagine paying those prices. For the cost of one of their off-the-rack suits I can fly to Bangkok and get one custom tailored in a day.

I am still in shock.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Jim Moran, Congresscritter for the 8th District of Virginia and Alexandria resident. God what a toolbag this guy is. The Post Express Blog has all the sordid details on his career, except for the MBNA loan he took conveniently around the time of Bankruptcy reform bills. Assaulted an eight year old black kid? Check. Two jilted girlfriends in a fight in front of his Alexandria home? Check. More Pork Spending? He’s gonna earmark the shit out of appropriations bills!

Gotta love scumbag local politicians. I was really disappointed he survived his primary challenge in 2004, and deeply disappointed no one would stand up to this worthless thug.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

So, someone out there on the internet could do us all a great big favor and photoshop Jim Bowden’s head on to the body of a horse, or maybe in place of it’s rear end, just so we can post it with this story. Alfonso Soriano took the big bucks in Chicago, signing an eight year, $136M deal with the Cubbies, and bringing his chapter in Washington to a close.

Remember back in July, when the Nats refused to trade Soriano at the Deadline? And Bowden said they could sign him to play forever and a day in DC instead? Yeah. Bowden’s a moron. The Nats decided not to pay $17M per season for Soriano, and will instead fritter it away on some other likely shitty roster moves. So, with the free-agent market now beginning, and the first shot out of the cannon a big one, can the Nats afford anyone on the market? If Soriano’s getting 17M, it’s unlikely the Nats could make an offer to Barry Zito, or any of the other major free agents, leaving us with second tier pickings which will cause attendance to once again droop.

Good job, Jimmy Bo.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

In my last post, I mentioned Chief Ramsey was probably on his way out. Little did I know… This morning Mayor-Elect Fenty named Commander Cathy Lanier to be DC’s next Chief of Police, effective on January 3rd. Commander Lanier began her career in DC back in 1990 as a beat officer in the Fourth District, and eventually worked her way up to assistant commander of the Sixth District, and then commander of the Fourth District.

Commander Lanier is currently serving as the head of the Homeland Security Unit which is responsible for Counterterrorism. Before that, she was also commander of Special Operations for the MPD. I welcome Chief Lanier, and, in the words of Wakko and Yakko, “Helloooooooo Nurse!”

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Well, we’re better than New Orleans or Los Angeles. When it comes to murders-by-firearm ratios. Sure, we’re at 80% of the homicides being fatal gunshots, but it could be much worse. New Orleans? 92% of homicides are caused by guns. But, where are these guns coming from? Aren’t guns supposed to be illegal in DC? Surely that ban is saving lives left and right! Well, it’s hard to say, honestly, because the MPD doesn’t exactly track why people were killed by firearms. Was it a bad-guy on bad-guy crime? Was it a drive-by that killed an innocent kid? Was it the police shooting a suspect? None of that is kept in the statistics.

Soon to be outgoing Police Chief Ramsey is busy blaming Maryland and Virginia for importing the guns to the District. “We have tough gun laws, but most of our guns are coming from Virginia and Maryland,” says Chief Ramsey in a article in the Washington Times on Friday. Well, let’s look for a second at the crime rates of neighboring areas.

MoCo: 19 murders in all of 2005. Their crime statistics group doesn’t break it down by method. That might be because there were only 19 murders in the whole county last year.

Prince George’s County: 135+ murders in 2006. Their crime statistics also don’t break out kinds of murders, only their mere numbers.

Arlington County: 5 murders. Right. Five. No breakdown on percentage of gun violence.

Alexandria City: 2 murders in 2004. There’s no statistics on 2005 yet, sadly.

Okay, so let’s see. What are the gun laws in Virginia? Here’s a handy reference. A short summary: You can buy one gun every 30 days in Virginia (not quite sure why you need more than one, but okay), and there are restrictions on who may buy them. You can apply for Concealed Carry in Virginia, provided you take training and pay for a license. What are the gun laws in Maryland? Well, like Virginia, you may buy one gun per 30 days. Like Virginia, you can apply for a concealed carry permit, but apparently results are mixed with actually getting them.

So, let’s see. DC is having gun violence because citizens of Virginia and Maryland can legally buy one gun per 30 days, and may need to get training in order to carry them in public. Sorry, Chief, that doesn’t fly with me. DC’s gun laws aren’t a deterrent to violent crime. The problem isn’t the laws or the guns, it’s the actual criminals that we’re either not preventing from committing the crime, or dealing with effectively once they’re in the system. It’s not helping that DC residents can’t carry to protect themselves, either. Yeah, I’m ready for the slew of “but think of the children!” and “what about accidental shootings?” But what I’m not ready for is the Chief of Police saying that gun laws in MD and VA are causing homicides with guns in the District. That’s a load of horseshit.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

DC Photographer Don Brodie has an exhibition at the CAT Gallery at Montgomery College, Rockville Campus. The show is titled “The Art of the Portrait” and is on display until December 31st. If you are not aware of Don’s portraits, you are really missing out. Take some time and go see this exhibit. Don is more a work-for-hire guy than an exhibit guy, so this is a real treat, being able to see so much of his work in one place.

Here is the address:
Montgomery College
Rockville Campus
51 Mannakee Street
Rockville, MD 20850

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

I’ve seen many photos of the fountain in Dupont Circle, but very few have caught my eye. They look more like tourist snapshots than a photographer’s work. I think part of the reason behind this is that there are many angles at which one can shoot it from, yet very few of those angles are actually pleasing to the eye. Flickrite bossa67 appears to have found one of those angles, and with the lighting, (what I’m guessing is) his use of sepia tones, and the great timing of the birds in flight, we have a winner. The trees directly behind the fountain may be a bit distracting, but overall I think this shot does Dupont justice.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

My wife and I are traveling to Toronto on Wednesday to see her parents during the four-day weekend (extended a fifth day by my sneaky calendar-wrangling skills) and were trying to decide a few weeks ago whether to fly or drive.

The drive, at approximately ten hours, half of that through every tiny town in central Pennsylvania, is daunting, to be sure. However, when I checked on flights, ignoring the high cost for flying and getting a rental car during a holiday weekend, I still came to the conclusion that the drive was the smart way to go.

My calculations were like this: arrive to the airport three hours early to allow for extra holiday crowding, fly four hours (through Cincinnati or somewhere), then wait for luggage on the other end, get the rental car and you are at ten hours or close to it. Plus add in hassles with security, being pressed next to other cranky, sweaty passengers and having airport food, and what is the appeal?

When flying no longer saves time and costs much more than the alternative, you can count me out. Give me the open road, my own car, my own food and several hours across coal country. I’m good with that. I just hope the traffic isn’t terrible. At least the security lines on the way to my car are relatively short.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Photo by DC Metroblogger

Hello DC freaks. This would be the good life with San Francisco freaks.

And no matter how freaky you think you are, the SF freaks will out do you.

That may not be a bad thing as too many people here seem to be trying a little too hard.

Not these three however. They are all joe cool. Especially the guy.

Miss ya DC and see ya soon.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

I recently killed an afternoon after work at the Rock Bottom Brewery at Ballston Commons, one of my favorite places to sit and enjoy a brew. Rock Bottom has a wonderful collection of beers brewed on premises by a master brewer. The food is good, although limited for vegetarians, which puts a bit of a damper on things. I am always satisfied with the nachos, though. Even if the selection is not great, what is there is excellent.

At my most recent visit, however, I paid my $12 tab with a ten and a five and waited about 15 minutes, reading the City Paper, and never got my change. Granted, I had planned to leave the change as a tip for the waitress, but there is still a social contract between a server and customer that had been broken. I at least wanted the option to leave the tip rather than having her assume that I didn’t want my change.

Is this weird? I am not a bad tipper and left her the money in the end but she seemed really offended when I asked for my change, as if I had asked to return the plate of onion rings for a refund after eating them.

When did tipping become compulsory? I am a big believer in rewarding good service, but part of that good service should include not assuming that the change is yours to keep.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that Ritz Camera seems to be a haven for people who don’t really know anything about photography? I have been to stores in at least three states and am consistently disappointed. Maybe it’s their hiring practices but they seem to select for the choice combination of lack of knowledge and determination to belittle customers.

My most recent incident came this past week at the Ballston location, where a clerk told me I wanted something other than what I came in for.

“Trust me,” he said after a few minutes of going back and forth, “what you need is an IR transmitter.”

“Trust me,” I replied, “I know what I need and it’s nothing like an IR transmitter.” I suspect the guy just learned about IR transmitters and wanted to impress someone with his new vocabulary. I don’t claim to know everything, but I am a professional photographer, know what I need, know IR and the differences between the two.

After a few more minutes of being talked down to by someone who didn’t know much, I finally left, saying that I would rather go out to Penn Camera at Tyson’s than continue the conversation.

To any Ritz Camera representatives who might read this: hiring people who can dust shelves is not enough. You have to train people as well or else select for existing knowledge. It’s expensive but a good investment that can pay back quickly if you implement it the right way.

A lesson in customer service wouldn’t hurt either.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Well, it’s Friday, and that means it’s PS3 day. The first 400,000 PS3s were sold today, and there was some excitement at the Circuit City in Tysons, where local police used pepper balls to deal with an unruly mob. Is it worth getting pepper sprayed just to get an overpriced playstation? Damned if I know. Me, I’m still picking the mothballs out of my PS2. Maybe there will be some Katamari this weekend.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Patty Melt at Tillie’s Diner in Alameda

Originally uploaded by pointnshoot.

There’s this great scene in Dead Like Me, where Rube is filling in for the now-deceased short-order cook at Der Waffle Haus. The waitress comes up to the order console, punches the ticket, and explains that the customer wants the cheese melted on the bread. What ensues is one of those brilliant moments in television that sticks to your brain. The Patty Melt, Rube explains, is both descriptive of the preparation and the substance of the dish. The cheese is melted on the patty, then served on toasted rye. Not served with kraut. Not served with the cheese melted on the bread. To do so would be to compromise the values of the dish, of the very preparatory nature of the food itself. That would leave just a mere broken shell of a man,

So, off I went to the diner across from my coffeeshop office for my patty melt. With the greyness of winter settling in across DC, the trees threadbare, the wind blowing ever harsher, and the cold November nights on the horizon, the Patty Melt is a refuge against the cold days, and darn tasty to boot. With all of the compromise that happens in this town, stand firm in your desire for a hot and tasty patty melt. Go down to Luna in Dupont tonight, get a Patty Melt. Embrace the ideal.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

When I heard Galileo was closing, I was fearful what this would do to the already weak Italian Restaurant Market in DC. Losing the jewel in the crown for a year or so? How disappointing! But then along came Bebo Trattoria, over in Crystal City, Roberto’s home away from home in Arlington for the duration. It’s in Oyamel’s space over by Jaleo Crystal City, on Crystal Drive. I’ve been twice for lunch now, and I can finally come up with a verdict: Thumbs Up.

I took Tiff for her birthday last Friday, where we both had the Lamb Steak, served with fresh rosemary and oregano, that was absolutely to die for. I’d never seen Lamb Steak on the menu, anywhere, but Bebo has it, and oh my good lord is it tasty. When I went back with my friend Ian this week for his birthday, we both tried the Piatti Unico, the single plate lunch special. It’s like a bento box. Or a fancy lunch tray. A long canneloni, a meatball in roasted tomato sauce, some mozzarella and tomato salad, and an amaretto chocolate pudding that is so delicious, the Vatican has assigned it a Gluttony value. At $15, I’m not sure that you can come up with a better deliciousness per dollar ratio in all of the area.

The space is cavernous and…bright orange. I’d never been to Oyamel before, so I’m not sure if this is a carryover from those days, but I was shocked at the bright orange-ness of the space. The bar looks like a perfect spot for a happy hour, with a giant liquor rack, plenty of space to stand, and a wine list that’s hard to rival.

Now, the best part is still a few weeks off. They’re not yet making either the sandwiches or the pizza that made the Galileo Grill a summertime favorite, but they will be, and then you can bet that it will be everyone’s favorite lunchspot. Go now, try something new, and enjoy. The price is right, much less than many of the downtown (or heck, even Crystal City) sit-down restaurants, and besides, where else can you get Roberto’s Cannoli?

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

photo courtesy of SOME

This Saturday there’s going to be a 5k walk-a-thon for the benefit of charities that serve homeless needs. Organized by Fannie Mae, the Help the Homeless Walk-A-Thon is open to anyone who’s willing to spend $25 to sign-up and twist some arms for pledges. There’s 180 beneficiary organizations so you can be sure every penny is needed. You can let the money you raise go into the general fund or designate a specific charity if you’re soft on one in particular. I’m partial to So Others Might Eat but maybe you’re more partial to the Church of the Brethren or Dinner Program for Homeless Women.

I’ll be traveling this weekend so I can’t participate, but I’ll pledge $10 each for the first five of you who sign up and comment here to let me know you’re doing it. You don’t have to provide your real name in the comment field below but you MUST use a valid email address so I can contact you to get your information and fulfill my end of the bargain. Capitol Weather projects a pretty average Fall day with clear skies and temps in the 50s so get out there and do some good.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Today is the last day to enjoy the weekly Freshfarm Market in Penn Quarter!

Held from 3-7pm on 8th Street between D and E Streets, this little pocket of local produce goodness could be just the thing to kick-start your Thanksgiving Day menu planning. A bounty of organic fruits, vegetables, honey, and cheeses ready for the table. You could also stop by the happy soap ladies booth to pick up some yummy scented handcrafted soaps for your guests (what? you won’t have guests? you aren’t cooking for your entire family plus in-laws this year? am I truly the only insane person in DC? what have I gotten myself into?? sigh. shoot me now.)

If you can’t make it this afternoon, never fear – the Dupont Circle Farmer’s Market is open Sundays year-round in the PNC Bank parking lot from 9am-1pm.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

1. People’s faces are glowing. You all know it – the cell phone glow. People are texting their friends to see what they’re up to, checking their Blackberry’s*, or calling their grandma in Toledo to see how they’re feeling. If there was good music playing, the cell phones would be safely stored in a secure location.
2. The song you’re listening too sounds oddly like the last song (and the song before that). Unless you’re wasted of course, and then you may as well be listening to your little brother’s garage band.
3. You can hear the crowd singing better than the actual band. “I…want to rock ‘n roll all niiiight…”. You get the idea.
4. You can only make out every tenth word. “Blah, blah, blah…. screeeeeeech!!!…. rar rar rar!!… mmmm hmmm…. oh yeah…”.
5. It takes the band as long to set up their gear as it does for them to play their entire set. Any truly good band has this stuff down pat, or has roadies to do it for them.

Am I missing anything?

* – If I could go back in time and politely get rid of the guy who invented the Blackberry, I’d do it in a heartbeat.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

I understand well that people will steal the most random of shit. Road signs, statues, toilet paper rolls in fast food places, whatever. But this one was a new one on meA tree? Seriously?

Here’s a hint for my fellow Arlingtonians: If you are affluent enough to afford a house in Arlington that’s big enough to have a yard worth landscaping, then you are affluent to buy your own damn trees to fill that yard with. Don’t want to pay $3K for a tree? Grow it yourself. Just because it’s in a park that your tax dollars pay for doesn’t mean it’s YOUR tree for the taking. My tax dollars pay for that park too, so don’t be a jackass.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Fox is going to air a two-part special next week featuring an interview with OJ Simpson, in which he explains how, IF he killed Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, which he SO TOTALLY DIDN’T HE SWEARS TO GOD, he would have done it. Theoretically. Just guessin’ here.

This is the part where I ‘fess up to using Lisa de Moraes’ take on the special as a blatant ploy to somehow make this post even tangentially related to DC, because if I hadn’t seen it in the Post, I would have thought it was a headline from The Onion. I hope you will forgive me for this abuse of the MBDC format. My favorite quote?

“If I Did It” is also the title of the former pro football player’s new book that, Fox said yesterday, hits bookstores Nov. 30 — just in time for the holiday gift-buying season, ho, ho, ho. And who wouldn’t love to find a copy of O.J.’s sordid sort-of hypothetical confession in his Christmas stocking on the morning of the day in which we celebrate the birth of baby Jesus?

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs