Monthly Archives: September 2010

We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: All’s Well That Ends Well


Miriam Silverman as Helena and Tony Roach as Bertram in the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of All’s Well That Ends Well, directed by Michael Kahn. Photo by Scott Suchman.

With only a few minor exceptions, The Shakespeare Theater Company’s production of All’s Well That Ends Well hits every note and does so with beauty and style. The question is, is that going to be enough to make it work for a modern audience?

If you’re not familiar with the work – which, to borrow a joke from the hosts at Filmspotting, is “Minor Shakespeare” – All’s Well tells the story of a woman of common birth who loves a nobleman. Through plucky resolve she gets the King to grant her a boon – her choice of husbands. When she picks the object of her affection he rejects her, fleeing France to fight in a foreign war and vowing not to return so long as he has a wife to return to. There’s a very Shakespearean bit of shenanigans along the way and in the end he sees the error of his ways and he accepts her.

So we’ve got a stalker, forced nuptials, class divisions, a sleazy hymen-chaser, a sort of rape by substitution, and, as such things usually lead to, eventual love and happy marriage. How’s that working for you?

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Adventures, Business and Money, Entertainment, Essential DC, Fun & Games, Life in the Capital, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Today’s Fashion Crawl with Stacy London

Photo courtesy of
‘delicious meatpies selling next door’
courtesy of ‘LaTur’

Today from 11am-5:30pm, Stacy London of TLC’s “What Not To Wear” fame is hosting a fashion crawl around DC to promote the launch of  Style For Hire (SFH). SFH recruits London-esque stylists who can help us everyday folk edit, add to and transform our wardrobes into expressions of our personal and unique sense of style.

The fashion crawl will be happening all over DC, so check the schedule to see when SFH and Stacy London will be headed near you.  Also, bring an orphan garment that needs a little embellishment, and SFH will help you give it a whole new life.

The Daily Feed
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Nats Fifth Consecutive Loss Prompts Lengthy Post-Game Meeting

Photo courtesy of
‘Blogger Day’
courtesy of ‘MissChatter’

Five consecutive losses later, Nationals Manager Jim Riggleman laid down the law.

Riggleman held a lengthy post-game meeting with his team expressing not only his concerns, but the concerns of the entire coaching staff. “This is what I see, this is what the coaches see, this is what Mike [Rizzo] sees, this is what the fans see, so if anybody in the room thought that was acceptable, then they need to be made aware that we certainly don’t think it’s acceptable.”

This deep into the season, a motivational or even constructive post-game spiel from a manager or coach isn’t going to turn a team’s season around – especially a team who’s been out of contention for months. That means it’s up to the players themselves to make a 180 in attitude. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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The Glory of Gold Pants

Photo courtesy of
Photo originally appeared on Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog

Expect a little more on the Redskins opening night victory over rival Dallas when the Sports Fix gets rolled out, but there is at least one point worth discussing before we get to the coverage of the game itself: the glory of the gold pants that the ‘Skins trotted out in last night. I’m a sucker for nostalgia, and even though I am not a native of the area, I know that the classic Redskins look is one of the greatest in NFL history. Dan Steinberg had been tracking the signs that a home uniform surprise may be in the works since early in the summer, and his sleuthing was proved last right night as the “gold” (alright, they’re a little more yellow, but still) hit the field.

Paul Lukas of Uni Watch commented on the minutiae of the uniforms this morning, and I agree with him when he says,”all of a sudden the ’Skins have one of the best home looks in the league.” What do you think?

The Daily Feed
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QVC Teams Up With Smithsonian

Photo Credit: Cheryl Stepanek

Tomorrow, QVC will officially launch a new jewelry line inspired by the Smithsonian‘s gem collection at the National Museum of Natural History.  This is the first time that the Smithsonian has offered licensed products through a multimedia retailer. Gemologist Christine Webb of the gems and minerals department in the museum is scheduled to appear during the broadcast to present a wide-range of jewelry designed exclusively for QVC.

Prices will range from $65 to $950 and your baubles can be purchased on Tuesday, September 14th from 7 to to 9 p.m. (EDT) on QVC.

The Daily Feed
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D.C. Architecture Week

Photo courtesy of
‘Downtown DC Architecture HDR’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

The Washington Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) began celebrating Architecture Week on Friday and will continue the party for a full 20 days.  You can join in the fun by attending one of the many great events planned, which will all honor the work of some of the country’s most visionary architects. And of course, you won’t want to miss the finale of the AIA D.C. celebration on September 30th which will be a sneak peak of the Jones Day law firm’s addition, located in the spectacular building designed by Pritzker-prize winner (2007) Sir Richard Rogers.

The Daily Feed
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Side by Side Opens at Phillips

Photo courtesy of
‘Man Experiencing Art’
courtesy of ‘Kevin H.’

Side by Side: Oberlin’s Masterworks at The Phillips Collection opened yesterday and will be on exhibit through January 16th. Twenty-five significant works, 24 paintings and one sculpture, from the collection of the Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin are presented in conjunction with selections from the Phillip’s permanent collection.  Many of the featured works have not left the Allen in half a century, but have made the journey to D.C. for safekeeping while the Allen is currently closed for renovations.

Rare works by painters such as Paul Cézanne, Claude Monet, Mark Rothko, Peter Paul Rubens, and Jan van Eyck are displayed.

The Daily Feed
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Anibal Sanchez Dominates Washington

Photo by Cheryl Nichols / Nationals News Network

Apparently the Nats make for a good comedy act.  During Saturday’s 4-1 Nationals loss to the Marlins, Collin Balester was caught tripping over his own feet on the mound. Laughter ensued after the rousing bit of physical humor, but besides that there wasn’t much else for Washington to smile about.

Balester crushed his tailbone and behind on an attempt to pick-off Marlins left fielder Logan Morrison in the eighth. Balester ended up striking out Marlins short stop Hanley Ramiriez who was at-bat during the pick-off attempt, and the Nationals lost what could have been another chance for Jason Marquis to win a game.

For a guy who’s known for pitching for contact, he put up some numbers to make a power pitching case. Marquis struck out eight over six inning and held on to a no-hit bid until Marlins first baseman Chad Tracy started the fifth with a lead off single. Continue reading →

Interviews, People, The Features
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Nats Fans Are People Too: Laura Murphy

Photo Compliments of Laura Murphy

There’s one thought that never crossed Jennifer Coffey’s mind as a mother raising her family in West Chester, Pa. — that her daughter would grow up to be a Nats fan.

“The whole family is perplexed because we’re a family that enjoys sports but especially enjoys the local sports teams,” Jennifer said of her daughter Laura Murphy.

Murphy grew up in West Chester, about 45 minutes outside of Philadelphia, and fondly remembers her family attending Phillies games during the ’93 season when “the team was awesome.”

Then Major League Baseball went on strike. Continue reading →

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed, We Love Drinks
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Imbibe Loves DC Too

Photo courtesy of
‘The Tabard Cocktail’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

The September/October 2010 edition of Imbibe magazine is out and features a sampling of the DC cocktail and beer scenes. With cocktail recipes from Gina Chersevani of PS7, Alex Bookless of The Passenger (recent winner of the Rickey Contest), and Chantal Tseng of Tabard Inn, the ladies represent!

Try your hand at mixing up Gina’s “Beetiful Bubbles” with, yes, beet syrup, or Alex’s “That Cucumber Drink” muddling cucumber and mint, or my personal long-term favorite, Chantal’s “Tabard Cocktail” combining sherry and tequila. Fantastic.

The current issue also breaks down 20 beer spots both inside and outside the city highlighting both the usual suspects like Greg Engert’s program at Birch & Barley/Churchkey and a few surprises.

The best part about DC being featured in Imbibe this month? The tone is congratulatory, not condescending in that way we sometimes see other national publications yap about DC’s food/drink offerings (Grey Lady, I am looking at you). I love it when our local talent gets recognized!

The Daily Feed
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UNDERWORLD

Hey DC, I don’t know if you noticed but Underworld at the 9:30 Club quietly went on sale this week. Yes you read that correctly. Underworld are playing the 9:30 Club on October 25th!

Simply put Underworld are the best electronic live act I’ve ever seen. Even though I have seen them three amazing times in the past – seeing Underworld perform on the 9:30 Club’s soundsystem is one of my wishlist concerts. I’m announcing this onsale now because I don’t want any DC fans of this amazing, legendary electronic act to miss out on what is sure to be an incredible show.

Buy tickets.
and
Listen to their new album (instant classic) streaming for free on Myspace.

Business and Money, Essential DC, Life in the Capital, The Daily Feed, The District
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What’s This I Found?

Along with taking over the Blue Bus Dupont to Rosslyn Route, the DC Circulator has decided to get all techie on us with the roll out of QR codes. Recently, I noticed these bar code-esque additions (located near the bus exits) on my daily commute and I was, naturally, curious. Where would the code take me and my smartphone? Turns out the location it’s too exciting, it’s a quickie “how are we doing” customer service form. However, it did open my eyes to the super mobile and user friendly “Where is My Bus? For DC Circulator” app that covers all the various DC Circulator routes and schedules. Super useful.

Downtown, Entertainment, Media, Penn Quarter, Special Events, The District, We Love Arts
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September at SAAM

Photo courtesy of
‘Kogod Courtyard’
courtesy of ‘BrianMKA’

So now that the tourists are (mostly) gone, time to get out and hit our various museums and their great programs and exhibitions! There’s a lot going on this month at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) and we’re going to run down the list for you. Programs are free and open to the public unless otherwise indicated; the SAAM is located in Penn Quarter at 8th and G Streets, NW. Note that some programs are at the Renwick Gallery at 17th and Pennsylvania and are noted accordingly.

Intersections/Intersecciones (Sept. 10, 6:30 p.m.)
Artists Kathy Vargas, María Martínez-Cañas, and Martina López discuss the intersection of Latino culture and gender identity in their work. Moderated by Muriel Hasbun, associate professor of fine art photography at the Corcoran College of Art + Design. No tickets required; seating available in McEvoy Auditorium on a first-come, first-served basis.

Art à la Cart (Sept. 12, Noon – 3 p.m.)
Travel throughout the galleries to find interactive carts where kids can handle brushes, palettes, bison hide, bottle caps, and quilt squares. Ages 7-12. Pick up your Art à la Cart map and passport at information desks located in the F Street and G Street lobbies.

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Law and Order: Burger Scene Investigation

Photo courtesy of
‘Free Smells’
courtesy of ‘BrentOzar’

Well, if there’s one lesson we’ve learned over the past few weeks, it’s to never open a restaurant within smelling distance of a legal juggernaut. The crankypants over at Steptoe Johnson have sued Rogue States and its landlord on the grounds that the fumes coming from the Dupont burger joint’s exhaust system are making their lawyers sick. Deliciously, deliciously sick. The legal back and forth is just plain too much for my tiny brain (though Tim Carman is doing a fantastic job of laying it all out for us), but what I have learned is this: Steptoe Johnson: he-man burger haters, Rogue States: tasty, and in deep doo-doo.

But the burger legal woes don’t end there. Go Burger (formerly BLT Burger), which will open its first D.C. location this fall directly across Connecticut Ave. from Rogue States, and its parent company BLT Restaurant Group are suing their namesake and former chef Laurent Tourondel for ripping off their menu at his newly opened Sag Harbor, N.Y. joint LT Burger. No word on whether or not this will impact the opening of D.C.’s Go Burger, but if New York’s history with restaurant lawsuits tells us anything, we may be in for some trouble.

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The Daily Feed
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Wizards To Launch 2010-11 Season With Midnight Madness

Photo courtesy of
‘The Wizards are heating up’
courtesy of ‘afagen’

Wizards #1 pick John Wall is no stranger to the concept of Midnight Madness. A tradition among many NCAA schools, the midnight practice session/pep rally is coordinated as an official training kick-off since organized practices can only begin a set number of days before the official season. At Wall’s former school, Kentucky, the star player did a little bit more than just make an appearance: he unfurled a dance move that would get everyone excited for the prospects of the prospect.

Whether it’s related to Wall, new owner Ted Leonsis, or just trying to start something different, the Wizards are going to try to find a little PR magic of their own at midnight. When the clock strikes 12 on September 28th, the Wiz will channel the college tradition and stage a madness of their own at the team’s new training home, George Mason’s Patriot Center. Doors open at 11 p.m. on the 27th, and hopefully Wall won’t turn into a pumpkin.

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Celebrate The Harvest Week in Hunt Country

Photo courtesy of
‘The color of fall’
courtesy of ‘afagen’

There’s more to hunt country than an annual drunken excursion to Gold Cup. Foodies will be ecstatic to hear that this week, Middleburg restaurants will be celebrating the harvest with local dishes featuring “fresh produce, meats, cheeses, wines and other edibles.” Middleburg is a straight shot out US 50 (from I-66) or myriad other exits and routes. More information at CelebrateTheHarvestWeek.com.

The Features, Where We Live
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Where We Live: Tenleytown/AU Park

Photo courtesy of
‘Reservoir Watchtower’
courtesy of ‘Kevin H.’

Welcome to another edition of Where We Live!  This week we’ll be taking a closer look at Tenleytown/AU Park.  Even though this neighborhood surrounds American University, it’s not just college students who live there– the beautiful tree-lined streets and great transit access attract people from all walks of life.

History: This part of town has a pretty cool history.  Tenleytown originally got its name back in 1790, when residents took to calling the neighborhood “Tenally’s Town” after tavern owner John Tenally.  Fort Reno, as the highest natural point in the District, was part of the Civil War Defenses of Washington.  After the Civil War, Fort Reno was a free black community, but you wouldn’t know it today– the remnants of this neighborhood were wiped out when several schools were built in the name of urban renewal.  The area became a commercial center in 1941, when Sears opened a huge store there (the site of the Sears was redevelopment and now houses the Best Buy and Container Store).  The area developed throughout the twentieth century with the help of the streetcar and its proximity to American University (which admitted its first class in 1914).

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