Yearly Archives: 2010

News, The Daily Feed
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The End of the Sidewalk (Law)

Photo courtesy of
‘Sidewalk Closed Signs’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

Not every street in DC has a sidewalk. In fact, there are large swaths of the city where they’re a bit more rare than we’d like. DC City Council has been looking at a common sense law to add them in where they’re missing for the last two years, but haven’t come to any kind of conclusion over whether or not they’ll be in place anytime soon. At question are property-owners’ rights, many of whom without sidewalks are requesting that their right not to have them be granted. There’s $9M in stimulus funding for sidewalk creation and improvement in the District’s budget this year, and it’d be nice to see used before we lose it, Council.

Food and Drink, News, The Daily Feed
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Help Haiti by Drinking Good Drinks

Photo courtesy of
‘______ ____ _’
courtesy of ‘Sexy Fitsum’

BYT and DCist have passed along that the Gibson will be donating the proceeds from all the Sazeracs and Old Fashioneds that they sell tonight to the Red Cross to benefit the Haiti earthquake relief fund.  If you needed an excuse to drink excellent cocktails this evening, now you’ve got it. I’ll be doing my part, that’s for sure.

News, The Daily Feed
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Catch a Circulator To Rosslyn? Maybe. River East? Nope.

Photo courtesy of
‘DSC_0125 (1)’
courtesy of ‘D©Bloom’

DDOT’s Circulator buses are one of the best things happening in the District from a transit perspective. Short routes, yes, but reliable service and comfortable carriage make up for the fact that they don’t go everywhere. Ridership has proven strong along the five routes that go from business to entertainment districts and back. The City Council is hoping to expand service and add another route: Dupont to Rosslyn and back.

One small problem: The Circulator can’t leave the District unless there’s a change in the law. This route, which would replace the current Georgetown Connection buses, would require a change in the charter for Circulator buses. The council can vote to grant that, and is expected to do so after some public handwringing in the coming months. Councilman Kwame Brown was hoping that the Circulator’s sixth route might be a bit different, and run from Union Station to Southern Avenue. That plan was rejected out of hand for the time being.

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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D.C. United Trades for Perkins

Photo courtesy of
‘D.C. United vs. New York, 2006 Eastern Conference Semifinals, October 29, 2006’
courtesy of ‘The West End’

D.C. United made a big move yesterday heading into the MLS SuperDraft in Philadelphia: they went after their old keeper, Troy Perkins. With Josh Wicks sidelined until the middle of spring due to an injury, and two much much younger keepers on the roster, United courted a face they knew and managed to get Perkins to come back from Norway to play in the Black and Red again.

So, here’s how this all works. Perkins is coming back from Europe, which means he’s eligible for the SuperDraft. United was to pick 7th overall in the draft, but wanted to ensure that Perkins came home to DC, so they traded for 1st pick in the SuperDraft, which belonged to the Philadelphia expansion team. United sent Fred, allocation cash, and their 7th pick in the draft just up the road so that they could secure Perkins for 2010.

We will miss Fred, and wish him well in Philadelphia, but it’s great to have a winning keeper back on our side.

Update: Via D.C. United’s Kyle Sheldon: “The way in which we acquired Perkins was actually via the allocation order – separate from the SuperDraft. The SuperDraft, which takes place today is only for college players who have made themselves eligible. The allocation order is a separate ranking order used to obtain players who have signed with MLS, but are not yet with a team. It is just coincidence that both Philly’s spot (1st) and our spot (7th) is the same in both the SuperDraft and the allocation order.”

Talkin' Transit, The Features, WMATA
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Talkin’ Transit: Face to Face With John Catoe

Photo courtesy of
‘WMATA Blogger Roundtable’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

[Editorial update: We had no idea Catoe would tender his resignation today. And apparently, neither did anyone else at the meeting, except for Mr. Catoe.]

Wednesday afternoon at Metro HQ, we had a chance to sit down with the General Manager, John Catoe, along with ten of our closest blogfriends here in the District. No limits, all on the record, just our recorders and our questions and him. Before we get into the rest, I’d like to thank our contact at Metro, Ron Holzer, for putting this together. Getting direct access to the head of the transit agency is a pretty special thing, and I thank him for the opportunity.

If you’ve ridden Metro in the last few weeks, you’ve experienced the worst that the system has to offer: long delays, packed trains and stations, the system is at a boiling point. Tempers flare from riders and employees, and things are out of hand. We talked a bit about the root causes of the situation we’re in, and much leads back to the Crash of June 22nd. Metro relies on its Automatic Train Operation (ATO) system to operate at its highest efficiency levels. ATO allows for higher speeds, better control in a delayed operation situation, and right now it’s not available to the operations staff. That’s a choice made by Catoe and the Metro Board, until such time as they have the final NTSB report, and until they have the realtime detection system in place and operating. That’s months away at this point, with no clear timetable in place other than “this year.”

Better than that, Catoe admitted that they’re having an engineering problem since they went to mixed-model trains (to move the 1000-series cars to the center of trains) with doors not operating properly and sometimes not accepting the proper signals to close or open, which has lead to some of the platform crowding that we’re seeing on a daily basis. So that’s where we are. And we’re likely facing that sort of delay well into the Spring, when we’re looking at potential fare hikes and service cuts. But what about that shortfall? Continue reading →

The Features
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We Love DC Does Real World DC: Episode 3

Join us starting at 9:45pm tonight for a live blog with DC’s finest as we discuss the RWDC shenanigans as they happen – with the finest snark and commentary money can buy. Comments from the public are encouraged but are moderated. Not all comments will get displayed during the live blog…but keep the good ones coming!

The Daily Feed, We Green DC
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Stay Warm, Save Dough with Free Green Classes

Photo courtesy of
‘Happy and Warm’
courtesy of ‘maxedaperture’

Did someone say “free”?

That’s right — this week, Greater Goods is holding two free classes on how to save money and stay warm, while being green.

On Thursday at 7 p.m., a Green Incentives class will tell you all about alternative energy sources and saving money through tax credits, rebates, and other incentives.

On Saturday at 11 a.m., at the Seal the Deal – Weatherproofing Your Home course, you can learn how to make your place warmer through inexpensive, easy-to-do project such as caulking, weatherstripping, and adding window films and insulation.

Love those? Come back the same time the following Saturday to learn how to clear the air and make a healthier home. And stay happy and warm.

Farm Fresh, Food and Drink, We Green DC
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Farm Fresh: AGAINN

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Here’s another feature where WeLoveDC authors Donna (greenie) and Katie (foodie) have paired up to tell you about local area restaurants that take on the challenge of being green. Donna explains the restaurant’s environmentally friendly efforts and Katie tells you if the food tastes any good. It’s a rough life, but someone has to do it, right?

Donna: I don’t want to go overboard about how much I liked AGAINN, but let’s just say that three days after my first visit, I dragged a friend from out of town over there to try AGAINN again. The restaurant’s said to be a modern twist on traditional British Isles pub cuisine, but that makes me think of greasy fish ‘n’ chips, not the savory ham and apple cider pie steaming under a delicate puff pastry crust that I had for dinner.

Katie: I haven’t exactly been subtle about my enthusiasm for DC’s newest gastropub, either. I love the space, the details are impeccable, the drinks, the food, everything. So when I visited and found out that Chef Wesley Morton had constructed a VERY local menu and put a ton of thought into his sourcing, it made me love AGAINN that much more.

Donna: Executive Chef Wesley Morton is from Louisiana, and he grew up on a farm surrounded by cows, figs, oranges, and all sorts of goodness. His family didn’t buy meat at the store; they raised their own food. He’s now continuing that tradition, using food that’s grown and processed locally and animals that are treated humanely. An example is the smoked country ham, cured in Allan Benton’s small family shop in Tennessee. You can order it as a charcuterie, or get a taste of its salty deliciousness atop the soft russet potato dumplings as they melt in your mouth. Continue reading →

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Two Things: New Pizza Food Truck + Farmer’s Markets In The Winter

Photo courtesy of
‘Farmers’ Market 2′
courtesy of ‘cruffo’

Oooh, a foodie two-fer. Just ’cause I love you.

1) There’s a new pizza truck in town, ya’ll, launching in February. And it’s name is DC Slices. Much like Sauca, Curbside Cupcake and the bajillion food carts, DC Slices is just as it sounds – a truck drivin’ round and giving us pizza. (There is even a pizza oven in the truck, say what?) As with the rest of the food trucks, twitter is the easiest way to keep track of them.

2) Jane Black, one of my favorite food writers in the city (and I say this without ever having met her, which is high praise since it’s personal policy not to declare my undying love for people I haven’t actually met.), wrote a baller piece on farmers markets in the winter that I wish Donna or I had thought to write first. It’s FANTASTIC, and reminded me just how much is still able to be purchased at the markets. I’m now re-motivated to bundle up, get some fresh air, and support our local farmers. Veggilicious has a reasonably comprehensive listing of local markets and their dates.

The Daily Feed
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iPhone Metro Times app contest: The Touching part

Photo courtesy of Me

Find a Metro DC

Not that kind of touching you perv. The most adorable, or sweet, or heart-warming.

Just like yesterday, we’re going to give away a code for a free copy of JRBApps’ Find a Metro DC [iTunes] app. It’ll let you see the times projected for when the next train comes in as well as check NextBus and plan trips. In 24 hours we’ll close the contest and pick one winner at random. Friday we’ll give away three more codes – one more random selection as well as the two winning story entries.

Also like yesterday you can just post a comment saying something like “gimmie” so long as you enter a valid email address for us to contact you if you win. That puts your name in the hat for the day’s random drawing as well as Friday’s random pick.

If you want a shot at the “bonus round” then just tell us your touching mass transit story.

Have at it, and remember: not that kind of touching. I’d say Katie’s story yesterday took care of that…

UPDATE: Well Norm, guess your life is going to get easier then – you’re the winner. Random.org, asked to choose a number between 1 and 14, spat out number three. We’ll email you the code and thr rest of you can check back tomorrow afternoon to see who our remaining winners are.

The Daily Feed
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RWDC Live Blog – Episode 3 – Tonight!

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

It’s Wednesday, so you know what that means — time for the third installment of We Love DC Does Real World DC. Yes siree, we’re at it again, we’ll be live blogging the entire show. Last week was great thanks to our guest bloggers Chris from RealWorldDCNewz and Elizabethany. So join us here at 9:45 p.m. to get this party started.

Plus, play along while we drown ourselves in our favorite Real World Drinking Game. It’ll be a doozy.

Media, Penn Quarter, Special Events
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A Night at the Newseum: Nick Clooney Uses ‘Reel Journalism’ to Keep Us Up on the News

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Whether you’re Team Conan or Team Jay, one thing’s for certain — NBC didn’t mess up when they chose Brian Williams to be the face for NBC News. DC was treated to a gem of wit in journalistic proportions with the latest installment of “Reel Journalism with Nick Clooney.”

The series, started just over a year ago, was the brainchild of Distinguished-Journalist-in-Residence (for both the American University School of Communication and the Newseum), Nick Clooney.

That’s right — the man who brought us George Clooney is the same man responsible for ushering in a new era of journalistic integrity and understanding — as long as you get a ticket before they sell out.

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Save Wine and Sunsets

Photo courtesy of
‘Wine’
courtesy of ‘InspirationDC’

If you like watching the sun set over a glass of merlot in Virginia’s wine country, watch out — those days may be numbered, and your favorite winery’s may be, too.

Fauquier County is still considering shutting down its wineries at 6 p.m., except in special cases, putting your ability to enjoy evening events and wineries’ ability to break even on the chopping block.

The first hearing was back in November, and the county will hold another, possibly final, public hearing on Thursday. Luckily, you can help.
Continue reading →

News, The Daily Feed
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Virginia Vs. DC

Photo courtesy of
‘Walking Past a Fight’
courtesy of ‘Karon’

That’s how the new legislatural session looks to the Washington Post: A showdown between a State’s right to govern itself and the Federal Government’s right to make national policy. They have their eyes on three proposed bills in the Assembly which seek to start court fights to protect the rights of the States: one to remove the requirement of the Health Insurance Reform Act for all citizens to carry health insurance, one to prevent the federal interference in intrastate commerce, and one to prevent federal regulation of firearms that are made and sold within Virginia.

While it’s not clear how much support these bills have within their respective houses, it’s hard not to see each of these as a challenge to the Federal authority in Washington DC. These are court fights that would last years, but could protect the individual state’s sovereignty against the Federal Government. It’s also very possible that should Virginia succeed in the courts, that many other states would follow suit.

Food and Drink, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Buy a Keychain, Support Goodwill, Get Free Frosties In 2010

Photo courtesy of
‘Wendy’s’
courtesy of ‘daveynin’

As part of a major regional fundraising campaign to benefit Goodwill, any customer who buys a $1 Frosty-shaped key tag from now until February 28th, at participating DC area Wendy’s, will get a free Frosty with any 2010 Wendy’s purchase.

Could this deal get any sweeter? Goodwill of Greater Washington gets a donation, Wendy’s and DavCo Restaurants give back to the community in which their employees live and work, and customers help fund the charitable agency’s job training programs and get Frosties.

If you want to donate, but could do without the Frosties, Goodwill retail stores will be selling the key tags and benefiting from the proceeds.

The Daily Feed
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If laws are sausages are municipal codes beef jerky?

Photo courtesy of
‘Jeff Foxworthy Original Beef Jerky’
courtesy of ‘TreyDanger’

The classic quote from Otto von Bismack is “Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made.” CSPAN disagrees, but this bit from a recent D.C. Register certainly lends some support to the idea that making law is messy: When you change who can marry from a man and a woman to any two consenting adults, you find that words like “wife” can be problematic.

A few days after the council passed the marriage equality bill they amended the D.C. code to fix some word choices. They had to change sections of the code talking about filing tax returns by “striking the phrase “husband and wife” and inserting the phrase “a married couple” in its place.”

There’s also an addition indicating that married same-sex couples will be able to file a joint return or separate returns on a combined form, similar to how domestic partnerships are specified on the existing tax forms. The city’s tax website suggests that if you entered into a same-sex partnership in another state you should keep checking back for the appropriate forms, which are not yet listed there.

The Daily Feed
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Where Do I Need To Eat? You Tell Me.

Photo courtesy of
‘4/365: Egg Rolls & Vermicelli 1/4/10’
courtesy of ‘heylovedc’

So I do a lot of telling you where to eat. I know, I’m sooooooo bossy, gah! But it seems like now is the proper time for feedback, seeing as it’s our reader survey time, and all. (Skrrrrttt. Wait. You haven’t taken it yet? Shame on you. Go do that, I’ll still be here when you get back.) Now, I may have eaten at 84 places in the last 6 months, but DC is still full of a redonkulous amount of restaurants that I haven’t tried, that I haven’t even HEARD of.

So that’s where you come in. What’s a hidden gem that you’d like to see written up for We Love Food? It could be a hole-in-the-wall ethnic place, or a pizza joint way out in Maryland that pwns all other pizza places ever. It could be a tiny little nook in Cleveland Park, or a Mexican restaurant out in Ballston – whatever it is, it’s wonderful, you love it, and think the world needs to know about it. Tell it to me in the comments, and I’ll do my best to go visit this year. (dining at under-the-radar places WAS one of my resolutions.).

Bring it. I’ve got my fork out, let’s do this.

The Daily Feed
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Bored? Volunteer at the Cherry Blossom Festival

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Volunteers are being sought for the 2010 National Cherry Blossom Fesitval. Individuals, local business community service programs, and community service groups are encouraged to participate. Those who volunteer their time will assist in all aspects of the Festival, which runs from Saturday, March 27 through Sunday, April 11.

To see what specific opportunities are available, you can download an application from the Festival website or call 202.661.7595.

Comedy in DC
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Comedy in DC: Laughing the Cold Away

Photo courtesy of
‘The LPs in the Window’
courtesy of ‘andertho’

First, do I need to remind you that Hampton is recording a CD tomorrow night at the Comedy Spot in Ballston? The show is planned for the 95-seat black box theater, but if enough people show up, there’s the possibility of moving to the main stage. If The People demand it. So go demand it, people. It’s free, and when Hampton has enough time to really get going, it’s quite an entertaining evening.

Three Chord Comedy is going to be back at the Velvet Lounge this Friday night. Former-DC-Now-NYC-comic and SNL contributing writer Ryan Conner (video after the jump) is going to headline. The show also features Courtney Fearrington, Will Hessler, Jason Weems, Elis Sairs, and (unlisted but he told me he’d be appearing) Jimmy Meritt. $4 for lots of good comedy- I only recently became familiar with Fearrington, but he’s quickly become a personal favorite, and I think I’ve been quite clear that Meritt makes me laugh until I pee.  A ringing endorsement, no? So go already. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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How Do You Say Your Zip Code?

Photo courtesy of
‘Postcard to President Obama at 350 International Day of Climate Action in San Francisco’
courtesy of ‘Steve Rhodes’

Here in DC, our residential zip codes look like this: 200XX.  Simple enough, but for many of us it leads to a mouthful.  I typically abbreviate my 20005 zip code as “two triple-o five” when I give it over the phone, but this generally leads to hesitation/confusion by whoever is entering it.  A friend of mine in Dupont says his 20037 zip code as “two hundred and thirty-seven”, which I say is just plain WRONG– that’s a three-digit number, not a zip code.  Similarly, a friend who lives in Capitol Hill says her 20003 zip code as “two thousand and three”, which I think is misleading because it sounds like 2003.

So, has anyone found a good way of conveying your zip code orally without having to say “zero-zero-zero” in the middle?