Yearly Archives: 2010

News, The Daily Feed
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Mega Millions Comes to DC January 31st

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

The Mega Millions lottery draw is coming to DC starting the end of next week, giving DC two options for the big lottery jackpots. While the Lotto tends to be a tax on people who are bad at math, funding does return to the state lottery boards which then fund education budgets, so I tend not to feel too awful when I grab a $5 ticket once in a while when the jackpot hits $100M or so. Don’t worry, though, Powerball will be sticking around, so it’s likely you’ll get two shots at big jackpots here.

The Daily Feed
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On line for the D List

Photo courtesy of
‘0706 r family cruise slr261’
courtesy of ‘MommyCheryl’

If you’ve got any affection for Kathy Griffin’s schtick then today’s your day – she’ll be at the K street Borders in NW at 6:30 tonight singing her book. Personally I find her kind of amusing, but I’m boycotting any endorsement of her until I can hear about her without also hearing about her dropping the F bomb on CNN on New Year’s. Seriously, who cares other than the 9 people who still watch CNN?

Oh, writing about this even here probably qualifies as endorsement, doesn’t it. Well, f-

We Love Weekends
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We Love Weekends, January 23-24

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

Tom: I’m back in class once again, so I have a feeling that this weekend will be all about reading books and writing responses.  I do know, however, that Saturday night I’ve been invited by Chevy to go test drive a Volt over at RFK Stadium, so tune in on Sunday to see my impressions of driving a “greener” hybrid around DC.  Sunday afternoon we’re off on a tour of Petworth, courtesy of The Prince himself, as we continue our hunt for a new place to live.

John: After a week out of town in the Studio, I’ll be back to hit up some shows and some grub. Friday night there’s a benefit concert for Haiti at the IOTA Club and Cafe in Arlington. Saturday night I’ll be hitting up dinner at Ulah Bistro and then follow that by checking out Thievery Corporation at the 9:30 Club on their five (?) night stand there. Continue reading →

News, The Daily Feed
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March For Life Tomorrow

Photo courtesy of
‘the first amendment lives!’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

Tomorrow marks the 37th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court Decision of Roe v. Wade which determined the legality of abortions in the United States. Every year, pro-life protestors gather in Washington and march on the Supreme Court in opposition to the decision. In past years, uninterested bystanders, pedestrians and drivers have been subject to large billboards and signs of grisly images of aborted fetuses on the drive to work, so if you’re sensitive to that kind of imagery, you might want to arrange not to come up 14th Street tomorrow, or be on the Metro first thing in the morning.

Expect heavy delays on Constitution and Independence near the protest, which will run from 7th Street NW to 1st Street NE at the Supreme Court, and also in the Penn Quarter area.

News, The Daily Feed
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Loose Lips Picks Challengers

Photo courtesy of
‘No Shelter for Fenty’
courtesy of ‘spiggycat’

We’ve talked before about how it’s looking like no one will step up and challenge Mayor Adrian Fenty in his bid for re-election this year, and how unfortunate that is. Mike DeBonis of the City Paper has a list of draftable candidates that could make the District a far more interesting place to live. He suggests, amongst others, Kojo Nnamdi and Peggy Cooper Cafritz. It’s a good read, time to go dream.

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Daily Feed
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Savoir Adore At The Velvet Lounge – Friday

Friday Night @ Velvet Lounge

If you’ve been searching far and wide for  “that ultra-catchy sound that you’ve always wanted” to hear but couldn’t seem to find, go see one of  L Magazine‘s “8 NYC Bands You Need To Hear in 2009” tomorrow night at the Velvet Lounge.

Savoir Adore started out as a two-piece band featuring singer-songwriter Deidre Muro on keyboards and Paul Hammer on drums but is up to a six-man roster, complete with female vocals (compliments of Sasha Brown).

Savoir Adore is joined by fellow rockers Ra Ra Rasputin & Bellflur.

Doors open at 9, show starts 10. It’s 21+ with an $8 cover.

Photo by Rachel Levitin.

Food and Drink, The Features
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Know The Law: Buying Liquor Online

Photo courtesy of
‘templeton rye’
courtesy of ‘marajane creations’

It was only recently that I discovered I really liked Whiskey. In college, I had, shall we say, a checkered relationship with the brown liquors, after an alcohol poisoning incident. But I got myself cleaned a few sessions to the rehab centre. Thankfully, that time, I have seek for guidance immediately on how I can get out of the situation, searching in the internet for the best rehab centre has been a great help for me. Even the smell was enough to send me running for the Busch Light. I grew up, and sure enough, I discovered I liked the stuff. But, what if I wanted to experiment with some whiskey that I couldn’t get at the liquor store? A regional bottling that doesn’t leave the midwest, say, something like a Templeton Rye, at the recommendation of an Iowa-based friend?

You order it online. Well, maybe you do. Recent events have inspired me to do some digging, with the help of my friend Fedward, to establish the legality of ordering booze and wine online, and having it shipped to your premises, work or home. Here’s the scoop: Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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See How Far They’ve Come

Photo courtesy of
‘taking the bus’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

Metrobus is reinventing itself, reports The Examiner.  Their new slogan (“See how far we’ve come”) and ad campaign is taking over the District.  This $739,000 campaign is aimed at reversing the decline in bus riders in the wake of several Metrobus accidents last year.

While I like the shiny new buses, I think Metro’s dollars might be better spent improving NextBus service and getting more riders to use it.  A new slogan won’t get me to take the bus, but knowing when the bus is coming so I don’t have to wait out in the cold would.

The Daily Feed
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DDOT Tries New Meters

Meters.jpg
New Parking Meters
Photos courtesy of DDOT

One of my biggest complaints about parking in the District in the meters. The older single meters require a whole satchel full of quarters, and the new ones have reliability problems in my experience, making parking a total crapshoot if you want to avoid a ticket. DDOT’s aware of the issues, and is looking for options to expand their current offerings. Look for meters like these above to spring up in five districts:

U Street/14th Street, NW (Ward 1)
2000 H Street, NW (Ward 2)
600 Indiana Avenue, NW (Ward 2)
5300 Wisconsin Avenue (Mazza Gallery) (Ward 3)
3500 John McCormick Road, NE (Catholic University/Brookland Metro) (Ward 5)

The new meters are quick to install, just two minutes, and fit over the existing change tanks, and better yet: they take Visa or Master Card, which means you can stop carrying roll upon roll of quarters. DDOT hasn’t said for sure if they’re also going to take advantage of the pay-by-phone option that these meters also accept.

Adventures, Entertainment, Life in the Capital, Night Life, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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United For Haiti Fundraiser

Photo courtesy of
‘Dining Room Interior, Policy’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’

If you’re looking for a place to have your Thursday night out, and honestly who on a Wednesday afternoon isn’t thinking about non-work related activities, then definitely check out United For Haiti Fundraiser to benefit Partners in Health (PIH) taking place at Policy.

Starting at 7:30pm, your $25 donation will help aide PIH’s efforts in Haiti, get you entry into one of coolest restaurants/lounges in DC, provide complimentary liquor drinks until 9:30pm and have DJ spinning good beats until the wee hours.

A good cause, good food, good drinks, good friends, what a great way to start the weekend.

Essential DC, Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Food
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We Love Food: Et Voila!

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People look at me quizzically when I tell them that one of my favorite restaurants in DC is in the Palisades. Most people give me a little head tilt and say, “I don’t know where that is?” “Yeahhhhh,” I always sigh. “It’s above Georgetown, towards the Potomac. Totally inaccessible, but I SWEAR OMG it is worth the trip up there for Et Voila!”

I’m sorry I’ve kept it to myself this long… I’ve uh…been busy and stuff. Plus the restaurant is super tiny, and if you knew how good it is, you’d be there filling up my seat. Call me selfish, whatever, I can take it. But I’ve finally cracked and the secret is out: Et Voila! is delicious, unpretentious Belgian food, and you should go. Don’t have a car? Get yourself a Zipcar, grab your bike out of hibernation, strap on the rollerblades, call up your ex, do whatever it takes. Even (gasp) take the D6 bus! I mean business.

So all this gushing, but you’re sitting there staring at your computer screen asking what IS Et Voila!, exactly? Located along Macarthur Boulevard, this French/Belgian gem doesn’t look like a whole heck of a lot from the outside. But once inside, I always feel like I’m in London, or even Paris. The wait staff speaks almost exclusively French, and the close, cozy interior always has a buzz about it.

Chef Claudio Pirollo and Pastry Chef Mikael Cornu have built an accessible menu full of well executed classics. Et Voila!’s Web site quips, “Chef Pirollo was named “Best Young Chef in Belgium” in 1994 and served as the personal chef to the Irish Ambassador for the past six years.” And not for naught. The menu, full of staples like mussels, french onion soup, foie gras, is in a word impeccable. The brunch menu isn’t to be taken lightly either – Belgian waffles, of course, but brunch favorites such as eggs benedict with smoked salmon, leek quiche and croque madame come out to play. The quiche has a flakey, buttery savory crust, and every detail right down to the cheese in the quiche shine through. Continue reading →

Essential DC, News, The Daily Feed
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Commander Salamander Closing

Photo courtesy of
‘Obamismo’
courtesy of ‘Daquella manera’

Georgetown shop, Commander Salamander, which surprisingly has its very own definition in the urbandictionary, will be shutting it’s Wisconsin Avenue doors shortly. The shop known for it’s puny t-shirts, colorful trucks and gag gifts has long been a staple of the Georgetown shopping scene. No word yet on why the shop is closing, but fortunately, sister shop Up Against The Wall, with a location in the Georgetown Mall on M Street across from J. Paul’s, will remain open.

Scribblings, Special Events, The Features
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Divulging Canadian Secrets at the Spy Museum

Photo courtesy of
‘Spies, More Spies, & Still More Spies’
courtesy of ‘Kevin H.’

“Certain death lay ahead if the least hint of my intended desertion got about.”—Igor Gouzenko

In September 1945, a cipher clerk named Igor Gouzenko walked out of the Soviet Embassy in Ottawa, Canada with secret papers and a plan. For Western intelligence, Gouzenko’s defection, and the layered information he shared, ushered in a new era of cooperation against a common foe. Tonight, join Amy Knight, author of How the Cold War Began: The Gouzenko Affair and the Hunt for Soviet Spies, to hear her ground-breaking findings. She was the first to explore recently de-classified records of the Gouzenko case in Canada, Britain, and the United States.

Ms. Knight is a well-known specialist on Soviet/Russian intelligence; in addition to her discussion, guests will also have a chance to see artifacts on loan from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service related to the case. The event is co-sponsored by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and the Embassy of Canada in celebration of the 25th anniversary of CSIS and in recognition of the collaborative and enduring security relationship between the United States and Canada.

A brief Q&A with Ms. Knight, after the jump. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Restaurant Eve’s Todd Thrasher on the Dinner Party Download

Photo courtesy of
‘[Kitchen utensils hanging below a spice rack with mint, caraway, tyme, and sage jars] (LOC)’
courtesy of ‘The Library of Congress’

I got around to listening to Friday’s episode of the excellent Dinner Party Download this morning on the way to work and was tickled to hear that this week’s history-inspired cocktail is the Hattie Bo Baddy created by Todd Thrasher of PX and Restaurant Eve. While I might quibble a bit with DPD choosing an Alexandria-based mixologist to honor the first woman of the Hill (you couldn’t pick someone at least in the D.C. limits? ) it’s hard to complain about getting the skinny on a Thrasher cocktail.

Not that this is a concoction to try at home unless you’re serious. You can find the full recipe at the link for DPD #40, but suffice to say if you’re not willing to spend the thirty minutes to create the components you need for this cocktail (caraway-infused honey syrup) maybe you should just go let Mr Thrasher make you one himself…

Essential DC, The Daily Feed
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Give to Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network With One Click

Photo courtesy of
‘Conversations’
courtesy of ‘N.S.’

From now until January 22nd, if you’ve got Facebook, you’ve got the power to change Arlington’s homeless population forever.

Chase Bank is donating $5 Million to 100 small nonprofits nationwide, allowing Facebook users to decide the winners. Arlington’s own Street People Assistance Network (A-SPAN) finished in the Top 100 and is now eligible for the $1 Million Grand Prize. All you have to do is vote for A-SPAN on Facebook. A-SPAN will share the prize with these other Arlington nonprofits: AMEN, AFAC, AACH, Borromeo Housing, Doorways for Women & Families, and OAR.

I’m a big fan of Doorways for Women & Families, having volunteered at battered women’s shelters in college, so I love that A-SPAN will be distributing its $1 million prize far and wide to help all populations. For more info, see the Sun Gazette article. And, vote!

News, The Daily Feed
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DC, VA Apply for $450M in Schools Funding

Photo courtesy of
‘Dunbar High Schoolâ��’
courtesy of ‘Daquella manera’

DC and VA have applied for $450M in Race to the Top funding, hoping to garner a share of the funds available through a new federal program to add significant federal dollars to local schools as part of new programs. Maryland has decided to wait until the second round of grants in mid-2010.

The District’s proposal (PDF) went unsigned by the WTU, which may detract from its strength. WTU is currently in a protracted conflict with Chancellor Michelle Rhee over their labor agreement, current policies, current staffing, current control structures and what color the sky is (Rhee says Columbia blue, WTU says more of a Dodger blue) which lead to this situation. The proposal weighs in at 187 pages, and features sections on low-achieving schools, better programs for teachers, and using data to better inform instruction.

Winners for Phase I will be announced in April. Unselected bids will get feedback so they can reapply in June of 2010.

The Daily Feed
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Caps 3, Red Wings 2

Photo courtesy of
‘Caps WIN!’
courtesy of ‘afagen’

Going into last night’s game, the Capitals knew they were going to be tested. This week, the Caps face both Stanley Cup finalists from the last two seasons and Coach Bruce Boudreau knew it was going to be an examination of sorts for the team. Coming off a 5-3 win against the Flyers on Sunday and winning four of their last five, the Caps were looking to impress. (And possibly get Ovechkin his 250th career goal.)

They did, but not in any way you’d think.

While the Capitals did skate out with a 3-2 win over an injury-ridden Detroit team, the Caps weren’t performing at their finest. Detroit controlled most of the game, dominating in the offensive zone and sewing up their defense around Osgood. The Caps started the game extremely weak, with only 3 shots on goal in the first period. The Caps forwards came on in spurts, but couldn’t sustain any consistant pressure against Osgood. Despite some stellar play by Jason Chimera early in the first to give Nicklas Backstrom a couple of shining opportunities to score, the Wings just dictated the pace of the game. Jose Theodore decided to have a good night, however, and kept the Caps even with the Wings through the first two periods, handling several breakaways with skill.

Then came the third period. Continue reading →

Downtown, Talkin' Transit, The Features, WMATA
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Talkin’ Transit: Short and Sweet

Photo courtesy of
‘Metro – Track Work – 6-27-09’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’

Of course, WMATA and GM John Catoe, Jr.’s resignation announcement continue to dominate most area transportation headlines. Tom already posited some questions that Metro needs to answer in their quest for a new GM (and for the Board to consider); I don’t see a reason to rehash it all. Mainly because, well, I’m just tired of Metro.

So a couple of short-n-sweet transportation notices you should be aware of…

WMATA: For the upcoming President’s Day holiday weekend, Metro plans to close the Rosslyn Metrorail station from 10 p.m., Friday, Feb. 12 to closing, Monday, Feb. 15. (The notification is at the end of the linked press release.) During the closing, Metro will install two new rail switches at the Rosslyn Metrorail station. Metro will operate free shuttle buses between the Court House and Foggy Bottom-GWU Metrorail stations and between the Pentagon and Foggy Bottom-GWU Metrorail stations. Riders should an extra 40 minutes to their travel plans if they need to pass through Rosslyn.

March for Life: This Friday is the 37th Annual March for Life on the Mall. (Map of the route is here.) The rally site is on the Mall at 7th Street NW and progresses along Constitution Avenue up to Capitol Hill and the Supreme Court. The rally starts at noon and usually is over by afternoon rush, but plan accordingly as the cross-streets along the path will be closed.