‘The Metro in winter’
courtesy of ‘afagen’
Metro has just notified us that ALL 86 Metro stations are now open. But use ’em quick, because they may have to close them again due to tonight’s Son Of Snowpocalypse. Trains are still on their every-20-minutes schedule, but now all the lines are running.
Buses, of course, are still a problem.
By Katie
There are only a handful of people that understand what it is like to eat at 84 places in 6 months. Ashley Messick is one of them. Funny, adorable, and one of my favorite food writers in the city, Ashley embarked upon a year-long project of eating at every single one of the 2009 Washingtonian 100 Best Restaurants list. She’s been called crazy, but I fully understand her plight. She recently completed her 100, and so we had a chance to chat about the project, what she loved, what she hated, and a weird waiter at Circle Bistro.
Katie: How long have you lived in the DC area?
Ashley: My whole life! I grew up in suburban Maryland and moved in to the District after college.
What would you change about DC if you could?
I’d make the Metro a little more accessible. If you want to go up and down Connecticut Avenue it’s pretty great, but other than that you’re destined for a long ride or a long walk or a long wait. I never like to compare D.C. to New York because I think they’re completely different, but New York blows us out of the water when it comes to convenient mass transportation.
Why did you start the From Komi to Marvin challenge?
Looking back, I can’t believe how flippantly I made the decision to start this project. It was like, “I think I’ll drop off my drycleaning, have a grilled cheese for lunch and eat at all the 100 best restaurants in a year.” I’ve always considered myself an expert when it came to recommending restaurants, so when I realized I had only tried about a third of the best restaurants after living here 25 years, I figured I should probably try and eat at the rest. For research purposes only, of course. Continue reading
By Jenn Larsen
‘Quill Bar interior, Jefferson Hotel’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’
Maybe you don’t live in the city proper and it looks like you may get stuck in DC tonight. Or you just can’t take the sight of those four walls anymore and need a change of scene. If your tastes tend to the luxurious, The Jefferson is offering a Winter Storm Special rate of $195 a night tonight and tomorrow.
These are for the Deluxe Rooms which have a usual rate of about $380 a night, and judging from my visit last year post-renovation I’m actually debating checking in for a long hot soak in a soothingly beautiful bathtub. The rooms are truly gorgeous and serene.
Though restaurant Plume will be closed, never fear – Quill bar is open, and you can cuddle up in a cushy chair and read by the light of the glowing glass bar. The staff is gracious and you can pretend all this insanity doesn’t exist. Book by calling the hotel directly at (202) 448-2300. I’ll at least trudge on over for a drink!
By Jenn Larsen
Evolve at the Pierce School. Photo courtesy Eric Hope.
Arts organizations tend to get hit the hardest in times of economic distress or, let’s face it, the current weather crisis. When galleries and theaters have to shutter their doors for even one night, it can be devastating. So consider this your PSA for Arts today: once we’re out of this mess, hit a play, see an exhibit, get out there and help the arts as much as you can. They’re really going to need it.
And there are so many worthy arts centers here in DC that go beyond the typical; we are truly lucky! One such unassuming place is Evolve Urban Arts Project in the H Street Arts District, with a special mission to promote local artists. Basically, says curator Eric Hope, “I’m trying to take some chances and give exposure to up-and-coming artists.” The recent exhibit by Dana Ellyn in December was one of the best I’ve seen in a long time, and upcoming shows look to match that intensity. Let’s take a closer look at one of DC’s pioneering galleries.
Evolve Urban Arts Project came about when Chris Swanson and Jeff Printz bought the Pierce School in 2000 and renovated it to include a home for themselves and several loft units. A few years later, they started arts exhibits in the main foyer and throughout the public spaces of the building. Curator Eric Hope came on board in April 2009 and saw the potential to expand their profile in the DC arts community. The only steadfast rule, strongly encouraged by Swanson, is the promotion of local talent, and the exhibition space is free to the artists.
“Lowkey really describes us,” Eric explains, “I’m happy to have the freedom to work with artists who push boundaries and take chances.”
‘Building Museum Columns HDR’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’
DC has always been a city at the forefront of civic engagement and this spring the National Building Museum will be honoring three “civic innovators” who are are leading the nation in natural disaster relief, city planning, and clean energy systems at the 24th Honor Awards. The three honorees this year were just announced and will include the Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon, renown architecture firm Perkins + Will, and the founders of New Orleans Habitat Musicians’ Village – Harry Connick Jr., Branford Marsalis, Anne Marie Wilkins, and Jim Pate.
The 24th Honor Awards is scheduled to be held on May 11.
By Tom Bridge
photo courtesy of Alex of @BYTEatDrink
Hi there! If you’re new to We Love DC, you might want to check out a few of our other posts, like which restaurants are still open in all this snow, or check out what Thundersnow’s all about, or if you’re from DC, check out our great posts on the Building Height Limit Myth or The Palisades. Thanks for coming!
That was the scene at an area Safeway as DC residents are intent on screwing their way out of the snow. I’m just wondering, though: presented with a Birth Control aisle like that, do you buy the Magnums and hope, or do you find other means of making it through the shortage?
Who wants to bet we see a spike in births come November? …or maybe just an uptick in anti-biotic prescriptions in March?
Shelves are showing a good supply of lube, though. Make of that what you will.
The Editors of We Love DC would like to make sure you know that we are all for safe sex and don’t advocate unsafe sex, even under blizzard conditions. STDs suck, AIDS sucks, and unintended pregnancies can suck. Think about that for a second while you’re considering your options, mmkay?
By Tom Bridge
‘DSC_4741’
courtesy of ‘Ghost_Bear’
Metro has updated their running buses list to include 98 different routes that now have some traffic on them. 27 routes are now running in the District, 23 in Maryland and 48 in NoVa. They’re working hard to get things up and running, but Metro can also use your help:
Local jurisdictions are responsible for clearing bus stops. Local residents can help their neighbors by shoveling the bus stops along the sidewalks near their homes so that people are not standing in the icy streets while traffic is passing.
So, if you’re working from home today, or just off due to the Federal closure, grab a shovel and clear a bus stop, it’ll make for a better city, and help the transit situation immensely.
By Tom Bridge
‘snow in love’
courtesy of ‘mofo’
The Business Journal is reporting that according to Amazon, Alexandria is the most romantic city in the US, due to their purchase history. Amazon looked at purchases of “romance novels; sex and relationship books; romantic comedy DVDs; Barry White CDs; and sexual wellness products since Jan. 1, 2010,” to make the determination.
Arlington is #7, and DC is #11. My guess is, the DC area was stocking up for the snowpocalypse.
By Don
Make your own decision about what proportion of awesome : stupid this is, but I enjoyed the hell out of watching it.
By Samer Farha
‘Smithsonian Metro’
courtesy of ‘brianmka’
DC Fire and EMS is reporting on their twitter feed that a train had to be evacuated at the Smithsonian Metro station because of a possible fire. They later clarified that there was no fire.
Local news stations are reporting that a communication cable which dropped from the ceiling wrapped around a train’s wheels. WTOP reports that train behind the stopped one is being used to evacuate the people on the stuck train.
By Max
fling by mennyj
As I write this, the mild winter sun illuminates the pale blue Phoenix sky and warms the earth to a perfect 74 degrees. Retired people wearing athletic gear and sun visors pass by my window in their electric golf carts, either on their way to the 1st hole or on their way home from the 19th hole. With nary a breeze in the air, the statuesque palm trees stand tall and perfectly still. Yet what you may be most envious of are the copious amounts of bread, eggs, and milk within a five minute drive. Despite the circumstances that brought me here to the desert, life is good.
As you read this, your electricity may be out, your car may be stuck in a snow drift, and you may be out of milk and bread. As you “work from home”, city workers are doing their best to clear the roads, restore your power, and keep things in order. The city’s budget goes further into the red as more of the white stuff comes down, but what I’m most jealous of is all of the fun that I’m missing out on. As a native Coloradan, I grew up in a blizzard and wish I could be there with you building igloos, throwing snowballs, and launching your kid into a snow bank.
The snow is always whiter on the other side of the fence, isn’t it?
‘Closing Federal Government’
courtesy of ‘LaTur’
Looks like OPM got its act together to move the one piece of information offsite that everyone wants. The Feds are closed Tuesday.
By Tom Bridge
‘by george’
courtesy of ‘mofo’
Like everyone else in DC, we’ve been watching WMATA like hawks, waiting to hear what their plan for Tuesday is. The word’s just in:
Metro is continuing mostly underground-only for rail service for the time being, but the Blue and Yellow lines have both been restored enough to get into the District, and the Orange line will run completely end-to-end. The hazards of digging out all of Metro’s rail yards out from under two to three feet of snow has just been too much to bear for a system that’s having difficulty getting their necessary manpower to bear in the storm. WMATA’s Doug Karas said in an email, “What worries me is not so much clearing the aboveground track, but digging about 800 trains out of 2-3 feet of snow, clearing the track at the railyards so you can move those cars around and put the trains together.” Read the full Metro press release for details on which stations will be open.
Bus service will continue to be limited on Tuesday.
With a storm bearing down for tomorrow afternoon, threatening to bring 10-20 inches of snow, Metro’s possibly facing (continued) above-ground rail closures and further bus delays/cancellations as we make our way into the rest of the week. Metro is asking for folks to help try to shovel out bus stops, as people in the road waiting for the bus are a traffic hazard, so if you get a chance, help dig out your nearest stop.
By Karl Johnson
‘Nate, Ernie and Unknown Nigh Steer’
courtesy of ‘InAweofGod’sCreation’
This is a picture of the latest suggested transportation method for DC
Logan Johnson, Senior Meteorologist with the National Weather Service, comes through yet again for the readers of We Love DC. The only thing I have to add to this thorough forecast and commentary is this: I am declaring the official #hashtag for this storm (and the whole winter) to be #snowdiculous. You are welcome.
The latest round in the boxing match with Old Man Winter will take the form of yet another powerful snowstorm taking aim on the DC area. In what has quickly gone from a snow lover’s dream winter…to something that now resembles more of a sick cosmic joke…the next storm looks poised to drop snow amounts better measured with yard sticks than rulers.
This latest installment will feature low pressure developing Tuesday near the Gulf of Mexico, and turning northwards. As it does, a new, stronger low pressure will form off the Carolina coast, spreading moisture north into the Mid-Atlantic region, as it interacts with cold air in place to fall in the form of snow.
The National Weather Service has posted Winter Storm Warnings for the DC metro area, and forecasted amounts range from 10 to 20 inches. For a city still digging out from last week’s storm, this will cause further travel difficulties, and as the snow falls heavily again, travel will become difficult or nearly impossible. By now, we know the drill, but staying off the roads and heeding all warnings from local authorities are the way to make it through another large storm.
By Ben H. Rome
‘Ovechkin and Crosby – New Best Friends Forever’
courtesy of ‘clydeorama’
So did you see the big game on NBC yesterday?
You heard me right.
Yesterday’s big game wasn’t played in Miami, aired on CBS, filled with cheesy, stupid commercials. It was right here in DC, in the heart of snowmageddon. It was the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Washington Capitals. And yesterday, that game lived up to every fan’s dream, regardless which side of center ice they were on.
Seriously. Four times a year these two rivals meet – and I wouldn’t be presumptuous at all to claim that both the Pens and the Caps see it as an archrivalry. It’s probably one of the most intense regular-season contest series in all of hockey, and yesterday was no exception. (To drive home the point – I climbed up on my roof to clear it of snow just so my DirecTV dish could receive the game. No AM radio for me!) Continue reading
By Samer Farha
Lincoln Memorial covered in snow by Sgt. Simeon Klebaner, US Park Police Aviation Section
Sgt. Simeon Klebaner of the US Park Police’s Aviation division does, though, and while out on patrol snapped some fantastic aerial shots of our fair town smothered in almost two feet of snow.
Yes, I know there’s another storm coming, and you’re all sick of not being able to go anywhere, but look at those photos. They might make you feel better about snomgasm 3.0!
‘Lotus #67’
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’
There’s more white crap on the way (seriously, since I am basically suspended in mid-move waiting for delivery of things like my COUCH and my BED, I couldn’t be more over this nonsense), so we thought we’d take a minute to reiterate Kirk’s very sound suggestions for surviving a Snowpocalypse. Kirk’s got the scoop on the supplies you need to have on hand, how not to kill yourself in your own car, and how to keep the snow under control around your home. I quote:
Make sure you’ve got blankets and logs for your fireplace (if you have one), in case you lose heat. Finally, get the appropriate clothing, particularly boots. There’s a saying that goes “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes.” This couldn’t be more true. Buy warm, water proof gear, and layer it up.
Read it, follow the advice, and make sure you’re ready to stay safe and warm during this next storm. And let us know what you recommend for surviving the Snowpocalypse.
By Jenn Larsen
‘mmm…gumbo’
courtesy of ‘jeffreyw’
It’s time for another item on the DC Omnivore 100 list of the top one hundred foods every good omnivore should try at least once in their lives.
Let’s see, everyone’s a bit chilly and in need of some rib-sticking stew to belly up before digging yourself out of all this snow, and hey didn’t someone tell me a certain football team from New Orleans won some big deal game last night? So yes, I think it’s time for some gumbo!
Gumbo’s one of those culinary dishes that gives literal meaning to the phrase “America’s melting pot.” A wide variety of influences – Cajun, Creole, Indian, African, French – all come together in a substantial and delicious stew. There are as many different versions of gumbo as there are cooks; even the name’s origins are varied. Is “gumbo” from the Angolan word for okra, or the Choctaw word for sassafras? Should the predominant color be red or green?
There are a few key ingredients that everyone seems to agree have to be present – beyond that, it’s a dish you can have fun experimenting with! And if you aren’t culinarily inclined, there are several restaurants in DC that you can snuggle up in with a pot of gumbo and pretend you’re in New Orleans… so let’s dive in. Continue reading
By Tom Bridge
‘Capitol Sledding’
courtesy of ‘Tony DeFilippo’
Just when you thought it was safe. Capital Weather Gang has a new forecast for tomorrow’s renewed blast: Bend Over, Here It Comes Again. They’re saying it’s probable that the region will get another 5-10″ of the white stuff (which I nearly typoed into shite stuff) with a 25% chance of 10+”. While Loudoun and points south and west of Fairfax will get less, the folks up near Baltimore should expect 10+” anyhow.
What is it with this winter? El Niño? Who knows. Either way, it seems aboveground rail may be a distant memory for DC thanks to the additional accumulation.
’30/365 – hello cupcake’
courtesy of ‘dracisk’
Everything tastes better when it’s free – especially a delicious cupcake. How can you get a hold of this free cupcake might you ask? By sharing your best (or) worst pick-up lines with Dupont’s Hello Cupcake. The “you had me at hello, cupcake” contest continues now through Valentine’s Day. At least this time you won’t have to worry about rejection – how sweet!
By 
By