photo courtesy of Arena Stage

I’ve run though about a dozen openings to this review and rejected all of them for being insulting, inaccurate, or at the least damning with faint praise. None of those are fair, as Daniel Beaty achieves something worthwhile in Emergence-SEE! The problem for me – and perhaps it would not be one for you – is that this isn’t peanut butter and chocolate, two tastes that are great individually and even better together. This is more caviar and half smoke – two great tastes that just taste weird together.

Or to be more highbrow, Emergence-SEE is less than the sum of its parts. Beaty is clearly a talented writer with many voices. His thirty plus different characters (I didn’t count to verify the much-stated 43 number) include several performing poets, each of which has his or her own sound and tone. This is no small achievement, to write and be these people in the course of an hour. Over and over again I enjoyed six minutes at a time, and I’d be happy to hear some of them again.

As a whole, however, I found Beaty’s physical mannerisms off-putting. His extreme transitions among speaking and singing voices never bothered me, though I could have lived without several versions of the same lisping and verbal flouncing he uses for his two homosexual characters. His gestures and physical movements from character to character were all radically different and always very broad in scope. It’s a perfectly legitimate style choice, and perhaps well in keeping with the poetry slam roots of the piece, but I found myself constantly comparing it unfavorably to other one-man performers like John Leguizamo, whose transitions are much more subtle but indicate different characters just as unmistakably.

So if we cut to the chase of “should I go or not?” I’d say that if you think you would enjoy a one-hour poetry & song slam with an over-arching storyline to loosely tie it together, absolutely. As a play, one man or not, the work doesn’t tie together well enough to give it a firm thumbs up. There’s just too many vignettes that don’t tie together well enough to qualify it as a great play, though all the bits themselves are fin and well done.

But hey, the glory of the modern age is that you can find out for yourself how you like him. You can view video clips of his performance over on Daniel Beaty’s myspace page. Decide for yourself and if you like him, please go see the show. Our town could use more unusual theater and supporting it is the way to get more.

Emergence-SEE! runs at Arena Stage’s Kreeger Theater through July 22, 2007
Sundays through Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m., Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. with matinees Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.
Tickets range from $38 to $50

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

For more on the caffeine front: Sparky’s Espresso Cafe is no more. This is actually old news, but I was reminded of it last night when I picked up some cat food at Green Pets next door, seeing the cafe shuttered and chained. One of the first businesses to lead the charge of a clump of cool shops at 14th & S, the grungy little coffeeshop has finally fizzled out. I remembered when it opened how excited I was and later on how the promise of a chocolate chai or cappucino made my early morning crawl to One World Fitness more motivating. But then I’d noticed a steady decline in quality, service, and general atmosphere for a while, culminating in a night I was snarled at for incorrectly busing my cup and thought to myself “Ah, next time, I’ll head to 14U.”

There’s been a lot of speculation about the reasons for the closing – higher rent being a suspected culprit – so I asked the most reliable informants – their neighbors – if they knew what was up. Apparently it was taking a long time to get the alcohol license renewed, so they had to cut back on hours, which made them lose business, so they decided to pack it up and close for good. Who knows, the real reasons could be myriad. Suffice to say it’s gone for good, and a license application for a new place called “Cork” is up. My informant says this is rumoured to be a wine bar/cafe.

So from espresso to vino. Caffeinated grungy hipsters to – who? Social implications here? Or is it all economics – alcohol makes more $$ than caffeine? Interesting. In any case, I’m very curious to see how this wine bar pans out. It’s only a two block crawl home…

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

If you’ve ever been to El Pollo Rico, you know how good the chicken is. The yucca is tender and crisp, and they’ve got a fridge full of bubblegum-flavored Inca Cola just waiting for you. And chances are, the whole meal wouldn’t cost more than a Hamilton. But, for as good as the food is, their hiring policies and sketchy cash management has landed their owners in jail tonight for harboring illegal immigrants, knowingly employing illegal immigrants and money laundering.

The bust took place recently at the Wheaton location of the chain, and four members of the Solano family were arrested for these charges, and 9 more of their employees were arrested and placed under deportation proceedings. Their cash business amounted to over $6 million over the last five years, and was deposited to avoid being noticed by banking regulations that require more stringent tracking practices. Shady, shady stuff is being alleged here.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

I realize this is kind of old news, but the outrage is still pretty fresh to me the more I think about it. Remember the giant new fines imposed on Virginia residents for certain traffic violations? The self-proclaimed architect of the new law, Delegate David Albo is known for being a champion of harsher and harsher penalties for driving-related infractions, including DUI.

What’s Delegate Albo’s day job? He’s a defense attorney whose firm specializes in traffic and DUI offenses.

So let me get this straight. With one hand, Delegate Albo is voting for higher traffic violation penalties and incentivizing defendants to fight charges, and with the other, Counselor Albo is bragging about the guy with the 0.33 BAC his firm got acquitted.

I love the smell of conflict of interest in the morning. Smells like… corruption and lack of accountability.

Hat tip to Radley Balko at Reason Magazine, who gave this law my favorite nickname so far: The David Albo Employment Act.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

No Banks Needed…

Originally uploaded by Casey Serin.

While California may dominate the list of cities affected by increasing foreclosure rates, Maryland and Virginia are certainly seeing a major increase in the number of foreclosures. In June of 2007, there was one foreclosure for every 989 households in Maryland and one for every 1,678 households in Virginia. Worse still, the rates are growing in each state, with a 600% increase in the number of foreclosures in Virginia, and a 340% increase in Maryland. Granted, these numbers are still small compared to the higher-incidence states, but it’s troubling that it’s growing. There were 4,000 foreclosures last month between Maryland and Virginia, as compared to 38,000 in California.

More troubling is that Virginia and Maryland are listed as problem areas for higher incidences of mortgage fraud, where false appraisals end up costing banks and the government serious cash.

The District has a much lower incidence of foreclosure, only 1 for every 16,000 or so homes, with only 17 homes entering the multi-stage process in June.

So, what’s this all mean? Good question. If someone could point me at a historical chart of the number of foreclosures related to the number of households over the last ten years, that would rock. I’m not sure how much of this rate increase year-over-year is related to market correction with regard to real estate, or how much is related to other factors.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

I’ve been spending a lot of time in Bethesda over the past month (rather equivalent to falling off the face of the earth for me), working on the costume design for a student production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at Imagination Stage. As this is in addition to my full-time job downtown, it’s involved a fair amount of caffeine as well…

My current downtown purveyor of the greatest legal stimulant is the cheerful fellow at The Coffee Espress, whom I’ve praised before. But however much I love that little place, I’m beginning to be seduced over to the charms of Cornucopia, a skip away from the theater at 8102 Norfolk Avenue. It’s the sort of shop I could drop a lot of dough in, filled with a (yes) cornucopia of culinary delights – chocolates, nougat, olive oil, preserves, sauces, a tempting cookie spread, vats of gelato, crostini, on and on.

Though my stress level is at a hideous height, owner Ibo Selmy never ceases to put me at ease and create the most exquisite espresso I’ve had outside of Sicily (and being as he is part Sicilian, this makes perfect sense). I don’t know what I’ll do when the show is finally up and my journeys to Bethesda cease. I may actually have to make the pilgrimage for porcini and prosciutto.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Being the pseudo environmentally conscious guy that I am, I replaced an antique a/c window unit in my house with a new and improved “Energy Star” compliant one because hey, that’s what Al Gore told me to do.

Now I’ve got this beast of a machine sitting in my dining room and let’s just say it isn’t very attractive. I can’t seem to find a happy home for it anywhere. I really don’t want to just take it to a dump, or as DC calls it, the “transfer center”, but after making about 6 phone calls (1-800-YES1CAN, DC Dept of Public Works and Recycling, etc) I was told that my chunk of metal and plastic has no choice.

Come on, DC. Aren’t we about 80% Democrats? Don’t Democrats usually like the environment? Where can I recycle my old a/c?

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

A number of Arlington County residents have complained about an “earthy” smell and taste in their tap water. Fear not, the county says. They are working on getting rid of these issues through cooperation with the Washington Aqueduct Division of the U. S. Corps of Engineers, which is the water supplier, as well as other local stakeholders.

The Aqueduct Division is using powdered charcoal as one effort to remove the odor and taste, which is not completely foul but somewhere between undesirable and unpleasant. Don’t let the taste and odor fool you, though. According to the Corps of Engineers, the water exceeds federal and state safety standards.

I have noticed it myself and simply figured it was from dirt in the water from the source. The water we drink comes from the Potomac River and the reported aesthetic issues are likely from low river levels and high water temperatures.

Read the ACE press release on the issue here.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

photo courtesy of Parl

Not that I should share my impending-events-observations with you meanies, none of whom so far could be bothered to give me any feedback about GiraMondo, but MAN you find whacky shit on Upcoming.

Case in point: a Rockem Sockem robot tournament (I’m assuming that’s what they meant, though perhaps there is such a thing as a ‘tourament’ and nobody told me…) of all things. I’m torn on my hopes here. Do I wish that this is done in all seriousness, that people will really care who wins? Or do I hope that this is just another sad excuse for drinking concocted by people who just can’t face up – as we pros do – to drinking simply for its own sake?

I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was tempted to go find out…

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Plasma 2

Originally uploaded by tbridge.

So, there’s something to be said for the current generation of track signs and station displays. That something is usually derogatory, though, as the trains feel like they’re further away than perhaps they are, or they’re telling us something about delays and track work, and other unpleasantness.

This new Plasma screen at the Gallery Place/Chinatown Station, though, makes me forget all about elevator outages and track work and even trains that are far away. Nicely done, Metro, these are gorgeous displays that convey information in a clean and easily readable way. There’s a very pleasant aesthetic to them, and I hope to see more of them out in the wild. Apparently, you may also have seen them in Rosslyn or Silver Spring. Clearly my Clarendon to Farragut trip just hasn’t taken me past these lovely new displays.

A belated nicely done, Metro.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Next gas

Originally uploaded by tbridge.

Check it out, alternative fuels are now available in the DC area. The NEX gas station by the Pentagon us now carrying both biodiesel and E85 Ethanol. Prices are, as you might expect, a little higher than normal fuel, but if you want to be Green, go right for it.

Of course E85 may cost you 10 horsepower and could be a little less carbon friendly, there’s still something to be said for having the option, which has been lacking here in the Metro area.

Aside from the NEX, I understand that the Chevron on Georgetown is also carrying E85.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

While flipping through the Upcoming! events I noticed a few wine tastings done by an organization called GiraMondo wine adventures. A lot of wine is lost on me – I’m more a hops & barley man if you get my drift – but I do love me the bubbly. So their “Wines of Summer: Champagne and Other Bubbles” strikes my fancy.

Now normally I’m the cheap one, but my darling girlfriend balked at the just-under $60 a ticket price. I think it’s potentially reasonable – how cheaply could you buy eight bottles of champagne to sample normally? Never having attended one of their events, though, for all I know it’ll be a mouthful of eight different kinds of $7 Cava from Trader Joes.

So, have any of our readers gone to one of their events? Are they well run and do they seem to have a good assortment to sample?

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Why yes, I am a sucker for free things. Free shipping, free furniture, free lunches, free-dom. Buy one get one free is cool with me too. This is why I decided to stop in to my local 7 Eleven today to get my free Slurpee. I love free and I love Slurpees, so how could I go wrong?

When I asked the clerk which size I could get for free, she pointed me to the stack of short Dixie cups. Whoa! Are you sure you can spare it? I mean, those 3 ounces of flavored ice must be setting the corporation back a good $0.04 or so!

Did anyone else partake in this free gulp of nothingness?

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

“It’s coming, it’s coming! Run for your lives!” I screamed, running through the streets for shelter as the first drops splashed onto the Georgetown pavement. “RAINPOCALYPSE IS HERE!!!”

Okay, not really, but the week’s heat is broken today by a passing cold front, which brings with it scattered thunderstorms and rainshowers. You’ll want an umbrella starting this afternoon. Watch the rain pass through with NWS Northeast Radar, and if you’re in a windowless cubicle/office, take a gander outside with this NPS webcam view of DC.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

I like seeing unusual takes on familiar subjects, and while this shot may have been done before, it’s a new one for me. It’s David vs Goliath, man vs himself, metal vs flesh. But more importantly it’s a tribute to the soldiers who take care of and protect so many facets of our lives. Well done, Mr. Cary Scott Photography.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

In case you hadn’t noticed, it’s been hotter than an ex-mayor’s crack pipe a two-dollar pistol. Days like these make me want to sit out in the sun, slather myself with cocoa butter and nurse a pitcher of margaritas. Margaritas seem to add something to the ambience when I’m in the yard blasting P-Funk, singing along while the neighbors are trying to have a barbecue.

For those of you who aren’t dehydrated and suffering from heatstroke, here are some ways to reduce power demands, brought to us by Arlington County:

At home

• Postpone using major electric appliances such as stoves, dishwashers and clothes dryers until the cooler evening hours.
• Turn off non-essential electric appliances and equipment.
• Use window blinds to block direct sunlight.
• If you have a gas power lawn mower, make sure to mow your lawn in the evening.

In the office

• Turn off lights wherever possible, including in corridors and unused meeting rooms, and overhead lights if practical. (In addition to the power used, lights produce heat, adding to the air conditioning burden.)
• Actively turn off computers and monitors not in use. (The “sleep” mode is good, but the “off” mode is better!)
• Use window blinds to block direct sunlight.
• Turn off radios, coffee pots, and personal fans when not in use.
• Portable space heaters should not be used for local temperature control. If your office is too cold, call the building’s Facilities Maintenance. A space heater can cause a thermostat to think the space is too warm, which would send even more cooling to the area.

On the road

• Use mass transit or carpool.
• On “Code Red” and “Code Orange” days, all Northern Virginia bus services — including ART (Arlington Transit) and Metrobus — provide free rides to passengers.
• Combine several errands into one trip.
• Don’t idle your car engine. Vehicles idling when not in use produce almost as much harmful pollution as when the vehicle is traveling. And in this hot humid weather, vehicle pollution lingers longer.
• Fill up your gas tank after sunset.
• Try not to spill gasoline when filling up, and don’t top off your gas tank.
• Never leave anyone — children, adults or pets — in a parked car.

I’m making my funk the P-Funk. What are you doing to reduce power consumption during these horridly hot and humid days?

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

But have we gone in the right direction?

I’ve been spending a lot of time down in Tucson for work lately, and I finally got a chance to do some touristy things a couple of weeks ago. Aside from eating at a great Mexican restaurant that was visited by Bill Clinton back in his heavy eating days, my dad and I decided to visit the Titan Missile Museum just south of town. This ginormous missile, a relic of the Cold War, was designed to pretty much wipe out the face of humanity in a matter of minutes. The idea was that for every population-destroying bomb we had, the Russians had one to match it. These suckers were about 100 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, so yeah, they’d leave a mark.

Then one fine day in 1982, The Gipper and Gorby decided that maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all and coined the phrase, “Can’t we all just get along?” According to our knowledgable tour guide, we blew up all of our silos but this one, and Russia did the same. They used their satellites to confirm that our silos were destroyed and we did the same. I think Reagan and Gorby did some vodka shots after that, but to this day we have to prove to them that the museum is not in fact a live missile pointed at them.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs Continue reading →

The heavens were torn asunder, rent open by flashes of lightning and pursuant rumbles of thunder. Rain fell gently at first, then came down hard, big drops pelting the streets and the windows and the cars driving by. Traffic slowed to a crawl, even on the major thoroughfares, as the sheets of drops obscured the car in front of you, though they were only eight feet apart. Impromptu rivers flowed through the streets, following the path of least resistance downhill toward the storm drains or the rivers.

And then it was gone. The lightning, invisible, but the thunder heard drifting into the distance like a bad dream. The air, once warm and sticky like cooked rice, is now pleasant and fresh, like a bowl of strawberries. Cooler now? Yes. Just a bit.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

From Arlington
County Web site

Residential parking permits in Arlington for 2006-2007 will expire at the end of the month, according to the Arlington County Web site. Beginning August 1, that old permit won’t be good for much more than getting you a parking ticket.

If you qualify for a residential parking permit, you can apply for a new one online here or else request a paper application by emailing park@arlingtonva.us or calling (703) 228-3344. Not sure if you qualify for a residential permit? Look out at the street and see if there are signs like the one above.

Do you think your street should have permit-based parking restrictions? The County has an ordinance that outlines requirements for designating a block for permit parking only. These include:

• 60% of the households on a block must sign a petition requesting zoned parking.
• at least 75% of the available parking on the block should be occupied
• at least 25% of the available parking on the block should be occupied by out-of-area vehicles such as commuters, shoppers, students, etc.

If you are interested in turning your street or block into such an area, you can download the brochure here.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

photo courtesy of Bdewan